186 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.38 



grade of 4 ft. is satisfactory if the land is properly leveled. Drains should be 

 made at the lower ends whenever practicable, as scalding is very common on this 

 type of soil. The drains should be large enough to prevent the accumulation of 

 water at the lower ends." 



Irrigation of grain, W. W. McLaughun (U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 

 863 (JU17), pp. 22, figs. 7). — This states that flooding from field ditches is the 

 usual method of handling water in irrigating grain, but that the border and 

 basin methods are also adapted to such crops. These methods are described in 

 detail and the proper time to irrigate, quantity of water required, and cost of 

 growing grain under irrigation are discussed. 



The irrigation of alluvial soils, A. and Gabeielle L. C. Howard (Agr. Jour. 

 India, 12 (1917), No. 2, pp. 185-199, figs. 4). — Improvements in methods of irri- 

 gating crops on alluvial soils in India with a view to increasing the duty of 

 water are described. 



Pumping for irrigation, H. E. Mubdock (Montana Sta. Circ. 60 (1917), pp. 

 5-57, figs. 17). — This circular deals with the design, construction, operation, 

 and cost of pumping plants for irrigation under Montana conditions. 



It is stated that with care from 0.5 to 1.5 acre-feet of water per acre may be 

 sufficient to mature crops in Montana. Some of the subjects taken up more in 

 detail are centrifugal, turbine, and plunger pumps, windmills, gasoline and oil 

 engines, and electric motors for irrigation pumping. Engine, pump, and belt 

 and pulley troubles are also discussed and remedies suggested. 



" From a consideration of all the expenses connected with pumping for irri- 

 gation, all factors should be included in an estimate for the design of a plant. 

 Economy in the cost of applying the water calls for a large plant or a storage 

 reservoir. Saving in the engineer's salary calls for a plant where the engineer 

 can do the irrigating. Interest and depreciation cost calls for a small plant 

 and a long irrigating season. Before installing an irrigation pumping plant, 

 competent engineering advice regarding its design should be secured." 



The use of windmills in irrigation in the semiarid West, P. E. Fuller 

 (U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. 866 (1917), pp. 38, figs. i2).— This is a revision 

 of Farmers' Bulletin 394 (E. S. R., 23, p. 395). It deals with sources of water 

 supply, quantity of water available, sinking wells, well casing, capacity of mills, 

 choice of tower, erection and maintenance of mills, pumps, and reservoirs. A 

 final section describes windmill-pumping installations in present use. Consider- 

 able practical data in tabular form are included. 



Practical information for beginners in irrigation, S. Foetieb (U. S. Dept. 

 Agr., Farmers' Bui. 864 (1917), pp. 38, figs. 23). — This is a revision of and is 

 designed to supersede Farmers' Bulletin 263 (E. S. R., 18, p. 482). "The first 

 few pages contain some suggestions to those who are confronted with the task 

 of selecting a farm under an irrigation system. Arid soils and water supplies 

 are considered in a general way from the standpoint of the irrigator. The 

 greater part of the paper is taken up with a somewhat fuller description of how 

 to locate and build farm ditches, how to prepare land to receive water, how to 

 irrigate a few of the staple crops, and how much water to apply." 



Practical methods of measuring flowing water, C. O. Wisler (Mich. Engin., 

 34 (1916), pp. 102-115; abs. in Chem. Abs., 11 (1917), No. 5, p. 507).— In addi- 

 tion to gravimetric, volumetric, and weir methods, chemical gauging is de- 

 scribed. 



In this method some cheap chemical, usually salt, is added to the water at a 

 constant rate. "At a point downstream where a thorough, uniform mixture has 

 occurred samples are taken and the degree of dilution determined. If W pounds 

 of NaCl be added to a stream whose discharge is Q cu. ft. per second, and it is 

 found that N pounds of water contain 1 lb. of NaCl, the total discharge Q in 



